Muzzle for stock



(No Model.)

' F. R. WINGROVE.

MU'ZZLB PoR STOCK.

No. 590,409. Y'

Patented Sept. 21

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN R. VINGROVE, OF VAXAHACIIIE, TEXAS.

lvluzzLE FOR STOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 590,409, datedSeptember 21, 189'?.

Application filed September 26, 1896. Serial No.760'7,074. (No model.)

'To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that LFEANKLIN R. WINGEovE, a citizen of the United States,residingat Waxahachi'e, in the county of Ellis and State of TeXas, haveinvented a new and useful Grazing and VVeaning Muzzle, of which the`following is a specification.

`provide means for locking the muzzle in its open position to allowfeeding when the head is lowered.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing descrip tion, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims. v

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a muzzle constructedin accordance with my invention applied in the operative position to ahead and shown open. Fig..2 is a side view of the same with the muzzleshown closed. of the' muzzle locked in itsv open position. Fig. 4 is adetail view of one member of the brace. f f

Similar numerals of reference indicatevcorresponding parts in allthe igures of the drawings. j

The muzzle is sectional in construction with an endless approximatelycircular band or ring 1, upon which are mounted the jaws or foldingsections 2, said band 'or ring being arranged upon the muzzle of theanimal in the position of an ordinary nose-band, and being held in placeby means of cheek-straps 3, connected to the centers of the sidesthereof. Attached to the center of the' cheek-straps at the crown ofthehead is a crown-strap 4, from which depends a throatlatch 5.

The nose-band or ring is looped 'at its front and rear to form eyes 6,with which are engaged eyes 7, respectively at the vfront and Fig. 3 isa perspective viewv rear ends Vof the jaws or folding sections', eachjaw or section comprising 'segmental bars-or rods 8, connected togetherat their extremities by means of eyes 9 on the outer bars engaging theeyes 7, by which the sec tions are pivoted upon the nose-band or ring.The intermediate portions of the bars or rods forming the jaws are heldat the desired interval by means of crossfbraces l0.

The means which I have provided for yield ingly holding the jaws orsections in their normal or closed position consists of a coiled spring11, connecting said jaws or sections, and in order to lock the jaws intheir open position against the tension of this actuatingspring I employa toggle-lever or link12,hav ing its arms or members respectivelypivoted at their outer extremities to the jaws or sections of the muzzleand pivotally connected at their contiguous extremities,whereby when thelever or link is extended the jaws or sections are separated. Thecontiguous extremities of the members of the lever or link are providedwith-shoulders 13, which come in contact when the lever or link isextended to prevent accidental folding or closing of the jaws orsections. Obviously,r the shoulders on the sections of the lever or linkare held in engagement by the closin g-sprin g of the jaws orv sections.

The means which I have shown in the drawings for opening the jaws orsections as the head of the animal t'o which the muzzleis applied islowered in the act of grazing consists of a spring-opening lever 14,connected by means of spring-coils 15 to the nose-band or ring near therear eye, and respectively upon opposite sides thereof, said lever beingbifurcated, as shown at 16, with the deflected legs respectivelyconnected with said coils, and a flexible connection 17 between the loop18 at the free end of the operating-lever andthe lowermost point of thethroat-latch, the arrangement being such that as the head of the animalis lowered said flexible connection is strained and the free end of theoperatinglever is moved outward and upward with relation to the muzzle.In other Words, as the muzzle is lowered by a downward movement of thenose of the animal and the neck of the animal is thereby straightenedthe lever swings upward at its free end against the ten- IOO sion of thespring-coils, by which it is connected to the nose-band or ring tooccupy the position indicated in Figs. l and 3, whereas when the head ofthe animal is in its normal or elevated position said lever returns to aposition close to the rear side of the muzzle, as indicated in Fig. 2.The arms of t-he bifurcated portion of the operating-lever extendbetween the rear ends of the bars or rods forming the jaws or sectionsof the muzzle, and thereby bear against the inner sides of vthe outerbars or rods, and hence as the position of the lever with relation tothe muzzle is changed by an upward strain upon the free end of the leverthe jaws or sections are swung outwardly and upwardly to the positionshown in Figs.v ll and 3. Obviously, the outward and upward swingingmovement of the jaws or sections brings them approximately into theplane of the nose-band or ring, and thus exposes the nose of the animal,whereby grazing is permitted without interference.

In practice I prefer to employ jaws or sections of the arc shapeillustrated in the drawings,and in order to prevent the disarrangementthereof by the intermittent outward and upward straining thereof due tothe movement of the operating-lever I employ a segmental guide rod 19,connected at its extremity to the nose-band or ring upon opposite sidesof the rear eye and arranged in contact with the inner surfaces of thejaws or sections.

The advantage of the above described means for operating the jaws orsections of the muzzle resides in the fact that the flexible connectionwhereby motion is communicated to the operating-lever is aranged underthe throat of the animal, and therefore is not exposed to contact withbushes and other objects through whichthe animal may pass, and,furthermore, the lever action gives greater power in the operation ofopening the jaws orsections, whereby less strain upon the iiexibleconnection is necessary to accomplish the desired purpose. Theclosing-spring for the jaws or sections may be of any desired tension,but in practice I have found that a comparatively light spring issufficient, and therefore the exertion necessary for opening the jawswhen the animal lowers the head in the act of grazing is reduced to theminimum.

A muzzle constructed as above described may be applied to and held inplace by a halter of the ordinary construction by connecting the sidesof the nose-band or ring to the halter-squares and connecting the ringbelow the jaws to the extremity of the lever.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention. y

Having described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In a muzzle, thecombination of a noseband or ring, spring-closed jaws or sectionssupported by the nose-band or ring, an operating-lever fulcru med uponthe nose-band or ring and having arms arranged in contact with thedeiiected members of the jaws or sections, and means for straining thefree end of the lever upward as the muzzle is lowered,l

the lever upward as the muzzle is lowered,-

substantially as specified.

3. In a muzzle, the combination of a noseband or ring, spring-closedjaws or sections pivotally mounted upon the nose-band or ring and havingsegmental bars or rods, a bifurcated operating-lever connected to thenoseband or ring upon opposite sides of the rear ends of the jaws orsections by means of spring-coils, the legs of the lever being arrangedin sliding contact with the bars-or rods of the jaws or sections, andmeans for straining the free end of the lever upward as the muzzle islowered, substantially as specified.

4. In a muzzle, the combination of a noseband or ring, spring-closedjaws or sections mounted upon the nose -band or ring and adapted toswing laterally at their intermediate points,a bifurcatedoperating-lever having the extremities of its arms connected to thenose-band or ring, said arms being arranged in sliding contact with barsor rods forming parts of the jaws or members whereby as the free end ofthe lever is swung upwardly the jaws or sections are swung laterally,cheek-straps connected to the sides of the nose-band or ring, athroat-latch adapted to encircle the neck of the animal to which themuzzle is applied and connected at its upper side to the cheek-straps bymeans of a crown-strap, and a exible connection between the extremity ofthe operating-lever and the lowermost point of the throat-latch,substantially as specified.

5. In amuzzle, the combination with a noseband or ring,laterally-Swingin g sp ring-closed jaws or sections mounted upon thenose-band or ring, and means for spreading vor opening the jaws as themuzzle is lowered, of a locking device for securing the jaws in theiropen position, to facilitate feeding without removing the muzzlesubstantially as specified.

b'. In a muzzle, the combination of a noseband or ring,laterallyswinging spring-closed jaws mounted upon the nose-band orring, means for opening the jaws as the muzzle is lowered, and a'lockingdevice for securing the jaws in their open position, said locking deviceconsisting of a toggle-lever or link having the outer extremities of itsarms connected to the jaws and having the inner extremities of its armspivotallyconnected and IOO IIO

provided with shoulders to abut when the lever or link is extended,substantially as specilied.

'7. In a muzzle, the combination with swinging spring-closed jaws andmeans for supporting the same upon the nose of an animal, of anoperating-lever mounted upon said supporting means and arranged inoperative p0- sition with relation to bars or rods of the jaws orsections, and means, including a throatlatch and a flexible AConnectionbetween the throat-latch and the free end of said lever, for elevatingthe free end of the lever, as the muzzle is lowered, to open'thejaws,substantially as specified.

8. In a muzzle, the Combination with swinging jaws and yielding meansfor holding the same normally closed, of jaw-opening de- Viees,including a throat-latch, and connections between tlie throat-'latch andsaid jaws, whereby as the muzzle is lowered the jaws are separated inopposition to the tension of the yielding means employed to hold thesame normallyr closed, substantially as speeiied.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANKLIN R. W'INGROVE.

Witnesses:

B. F. JAMEs, O. Il. CHAPMAN.

